The Time Is Now To Deliver Lionesses Legacy

Posted on August 3, 2022 by Fifty Digital

This morning, Fifty Digital’s Rebecca Derrick was a guest on BBC 5 Live discussing how the Lionesses’ historic UEFA Women’s Euros victory last Sunday can positively impact the economic landscape of women’s football and, in turn, women’s sport.

Our new Global Business Director covered the topic of unbundling, something we should expect to see from sponsors as they look to differentiate themselves from the men’s game and focus on being part of the magic of women’s football.

While many teams have had to beg, borrow and steal for funding over the years, the last 18 months have seen an accelerated move towards greater equality in women’s sport. Brands can no longer argue the audience figures after Sunday’s final: 25 million UK viewers, 18 million watching in Germany and 90,000 in attendance at a sell-out Wembley Stadium.

The reach of the Lionesses is apparent, and women’s sport fans are among the most loyal and engaged, so return-on-investment for sponsors can be greater than anything they can achieve in the men’s game.

It’s now vital that we continue the legacy set by our fantastic female footballers and at Fifty Digital we are already working hard to tackle the gender imbalance in professional sport. We create best-in-class sponsorship strategies and activations for The Football Association and tell compelling stories that connect fans to their idols for England Football.

We also run athlete workshops for W Series, the free-to-enter motorsport championship that provides equal opportunities for women and eliminates financial barriers to progression in the sport, and work voluntarily with Women’s Sport Trust to help female sports professionals build their personal brands.

We’re also proud to say we are committed to striving towards a 50/50 gender split in the company – something rights holders, agencies, partners and brands need to continue working towards themselves. As you’ll have heard so much lately, not least from Lionesses captain Leah Williamson after the final whistle on Sunday, if you can see it, you can be it. Young girls are used to seeing brilliant female athletes but they also need to see women in the top spots across sport as evidence of the change we want to see.

So, get behind your local Women’s Super League team; like, follow and share content from your favourite female athletes and teams on social media; hire women into the professional roles they merit; and continue building the incredible legacy that, as Gabby Logan so perfectly articulated, has only just begun.

If you want to discuss any of the points Becca covered, need some help on ‘where to now’ or have a brief ready to go, we’re ready to help the drive towards an equal playing field.